Are you tired of messy kitchens? Need a place to hide the things you don’t want on display? A butlers kitchen is the perfect solution to both!
A butlers kitchen is a space behind or next to the main kitchen, designed to handle all of your messy tasks and more. When you plan a butlers kitchen design, you’re basically keeping your main kitchen as the decorative part of your home. A butlers is basically a small kitchen where you do all the messy work to keep your main kitchen clean and tidy.
In this blog, we’re going to walk you through a better, more complete definition of a butlers kitchen. We’ll also share some tips on how to design one, so stick around to find out.
What Is a Butlers Kitchen?
Not sure what a butlers kitchen is? It’s a small space next to or behind the main kitchen, sometimes called a scullery or back kitchen. Cleaning up a huge kitchen with tight storage is way harder than cleaning up a smaller one. That’s why homeowners ask for a butlers kitchen, to keep it all cleaner and more clutter-free.
To your butlers kitchen, add shelves for dry goods and counter space for meal prep. You can also add extra appliances like a dishwasher, oven, or a second sink. It’s the most ideal spot to handle messier tasks like washing fruits and veggies or chopping meat and chickens.
The only time to realize what a blessing it is to have a butlers kitchen is the time you are hosting a party or gathering. To keep it short and simple, the idea to design a butlers kitchen is to keep things organized without interfering with the main kitchen area.
How to Design a Functional Butlers Kitchen Pantry
Make sure to keep these points in mind while planning your kitchen reno to add or design a butlers kitchen.
1. Planning Your Space: How Much Room Do You Need
The first step to creating a butlers kitchen is checking your dimensions. Once you know you have enough room, you can start the design process. Homes in Melbourne are different in size and layout, so it’s important to see if your kitchen can accommodate an extra area.
If you’re renovating, having a kitchen makeover or building a new home, aiming for around 3-4 square meters for your butlers kitchen design is a good starting point.
You’ll have enough space for countertops, shelves, and appliances, and the kitchen will still feel easy to move around in. Even if your space is small, you can make a handy butlers kitchen by keeping it organized and using clever storage ideas.
2. Layout Considerations: How to Maximize Functionality
Here are the best kitchen layouts with butlers pantry.
- Work Triangle: Just like regular kitchens, the sink, the stove, and the fridge should be in the spots that make sense to keep things flowing smoothly. Make sure there’s a clear path between them so moving around is effortless.
- Flow Between Spaces: A butlers kitchen should be a natural extension of your main kitchen. When having a butlers kitchen design, think about how people will move through it. Make sure to avoid creating tight, awkward spots.
- Closed vs. Open Layouts: Some homeowners prefer an open butlers kitchen, where you can see everything from the main kitchen. Others, on the other hand want the pantry to be out of sight. An open pantry makes it easy to grab things and keeps the space light, while a closed pantry looks cleaner and hides clutter. Both have perks, make sure to choose what works best for you.
3. Storage Solutions: Smart Storage for Your Butler’s Kitchen
Homeowners don’t just ask for a butler’s kitchen for fun; they do it because they need more storage. Here are the best storage ideas for your butlers kitchen design.
- Shelves: Add multiple shelves to store your dry goods, kitchen dishes, and more. Just keep in mind to design deep shelves for your butlers kitchen design to fit larger items like cereal boxes and more. You can choose either open shelves or closed ones; both are practical and look great.
- Drawers and Bins: Keep pans, pots, and knives in pull-out drawers. Then consider adding bins to your kitchen butler’s design to store spices, oils, or canned goods.
- Tall Cabinets: If you have the space, tall cabinets layouts that stretch from floor to ceiling are a great option. They’re perfect for storing large pots, pans, or small appliances, and they help keep your butlers kitchen pantry neat and clutter-free.
- Hidden Storage: The idea of having a butlers kitchen pantry is to hide some supplies from the main kitchen, but you can also hide away other items to keep the space more organized. Cabinets with push-to-open doors or a concealed area for cleaning supplies and extra pantry items are great options.
4. Lighting: Brighten Your Butlers Kitchen
Butler’s pantries are often out of sight, so they can be a bit dark. How can you avoid that problem? Watch out for the lighting you choose.
To make your butler kitchen pantry feel welcoming, merge and mix different lights. Under-cabinet lights brighten your countertops, which is helpful for prepping meals work. Ceiling pendant lights, brighten up the whole space and can add a stylish touch. If you have open shelves or glass-front cabinets, a bit of accent lighting can decoratively show your dishes.
5. Appliances: What to Include in Your Butler’s Kitchen
The best part about a butlers kitchen pantry in Melbourne? It’s the greatest space to hide appliances and equipment you don’t want taking up space in your main kitchen.
- Dishwasher: Adding a second dishwasher in your butlers kitchen pantry is a great option for big families. You can handle the cleanup part away from the main kitchen to keep things stress-free.
- Sink: Butlers kitchen sink is perfect for messy jobs like washing veggies or prepping ingredients without getting in the way of the main kitchen sink.
- Extra Fridge or Freezer: If your main fridge is always filled with supplies, a butlers kitchen design is the perfect spot for an extra fridge or freezer. It gives you more space for drinks and fresh ingredients for when you’re hosting or cooking for a dozen people.
But here’s an important question to keep in mind. How can you get the best butlers kitchen design? Since it doesn’t seem like a DIY project, you’ll want to ask for help from a professional. And there’s no better option than the expert design team at Silktouch joinery.
Silktouch joinery is a Melbourne-based company that specializes in custom kitchen design. Silk Touch Joinery also offers interior design & consultation services, custom kitchen cabinets, laundry storage solutions, wardrobes, wall-units, and home renovation projects. If you live in Balwyn, Toorak, Camberwell, Kew, or the surrounding suburbs, you can contact them for professional help. Ask for their advice to create the perfect butler’s pantry for your home.
Conclusion
By now, you know what a butler’s kitchen is. We’ve given you a complete guide on what makes a good one and how to plan it. Just keep in mind that the first step is checking your dimensions. It’s not always about having a huge space, but you can’t have butlers whenever you want. Large kitchens are great for using these design ideas, but if your kitchen is small, you can’t make room for a second kitchen. Just keep your options open, plan carefully, and don’t hesitate to ask a professional for help.
FAQs
1. What’s the difference between a butlers kitchen and a regular pantry?
A regular pantry is just for storing food and kitchen goods. A butler’s kitchen, on the other hand, is more like a mini second kitchen where you can actually prep meals and wash dishes. It keeps your main kitchen looking clean and stylish while all the messy work happens behind the scenes.
2. Is a butlers kitchen really worth the cost?
If you love to cook or host get-togethers, a butlers kitchen is definitely worth it. It gives you that extra space to prep, clean, and stash things away. Plus, it can boost your home’s value, especially in open-plan Melbourne homes, where smart storage.
3. What kind of materials should I use in a butlers kitchen?
Go for materials that are tough, easy to clean, and still look great. Think stone or laminate benchtops, moisture-resistant cabinets, and good lighting like LED strips under your shelves.